Distributor breaker point assembly and lubricator



y 1957 R. TOLLEFSEN ETAL 2,794,i02

DISTRIBUTOR BREAKER POINT ASSEMBLY AND LUBRICATOR Filed Sept. 13, 1954- C'j iy. gr 7 J2 5 J0 R a 4 W W' J wmww A TTOR/VE Y DISTRIBUTOR BREAKER POINT-ASSEMBLY AND LUBRICATOR Reed Tollefsen, Pacific Palisades, and: Thomas W; Talbot,

- Santa Monica, .Calif.

Application September'13,.1954, Serial No; 455,712

8 Claims. (Cl. 200-166) This invention relates to an improved distributor breaker. point assembly and .lubrieator, particularly for use in internal combustion engineconstructions, and has for one of its principal objects the provisionof a device of the class;described..which.will-not wear in anytperceptible, degreezso. far. asfriction-withthe'distributor cam is r concerned.

a One ofssthe important objects of this invention --is. the

,constructionofadistributor breaker point assembly-which will .eliminate. .to a great degree the wearing 1 away-- of certain portions of the construction caused by normal-- operation, such as wearing of the rubbing block, and which wear-produces a variation in the point settings and resultant faulty ignition.

Another object of the invention is to provide means in a distributor breaker point assembly which will almost completely eliminate undesirable wear of the block which contacts the distributor cam. Such wear shortens the gap between the points, causing a retarded spark and making the motor sluggish.

Another and still further important object of the invention is the provision in a distributor breaker point assembly of a lubricated roller which will replace the small shoe heretofore employed and which rides on the distributor cam. It is the wearing away of this shoe which necessitates continual adjustment to provide proper ignition and efiicient engine operation.

A further object is the provision of a distributor breaker point assembly which, on account of its construction and operation, will eliminate practically all of the undesirable unbalance of positive and negative current flow which, to a great degree, causes pitting of the spark distributor points and which therefore results in poor performance.

Yet another object of the invention is to produce in combination with a novel distributor breaker point assembly a lubrication unit whereby the apparatus is kept in a highly efiicient working condition at all times with a minimum of attention.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawing and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a representative ignition distributor such as those ordinarily used in automobiles, with the cap removed to show interior construction and illustrating the structure of this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section, of the block of fibre or similar material and the roller of metal or the like, which comprise part of the breaker assembly of this invention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on the broken line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the spring element which retains the lubricating pad in desired position on ice "the block and roller point assemblyand by the pins. as

shown.

As showninthe drawings: iTherreference numeral indicates generally a: portion of a distributor ordinarily employedin internal'combustion engines, having a central rotating cam 12 which in this case is shown as hexagonal, corresponding to asix ecylinder. motor.

I'Thel distributor includes a circular rim-having a binding post or..screw.14 through which current is brought in and carried to a' leafspring and. supporting arm 16.

A further screw' 18 is fitted through anopening in the end of'the arm 16 and passes through an adjacent end of a metallic element 20 .andthence. into an insulating ,block of.:fibre..or similar. material 22,. best shaped as shown .inFigurelZ. The element-20, whichds relatively stilt, is .fastened to .the:block 22. at. anotherv pointv by a screw orirbolt.24,tand.one of-a pair of conventional breakerpoints is mounted -on the end of the element'20 at. 26. The juxtaposed elementuofa the pair of breaker .points..is"fixed .inthedistributor plate 10. as indicated at .28, .and ..this mounting is v in practically .all .cases adjustable.

The. block 22 hasaquasi-cylindrical recess formed 25'. in one face. and. a roller 32 composed of some suitable materialsuch astfibre metal nylon; or the 'like,-is placed in 'this recess. .It will .be :obvious ..that ..theroller is securely held in position while being freely rotatable in its setting, and the same is preferably formed with a point 34 at its lower end which contacts the bottom of the recess 30, thereby insuring a very free rotation. This space also forms a lubricant reservoir.

The block 22 has an opening 36 therethrough for pivotal mounting on a pin 38 projecting upwardly from the base plate 10 of the distributor. As best shown in Figure l, the roller 32 contacts the hexagonal or other face of the cam 12, producing the conventional action and corresponding make and break of the current through the points 26 and 28 when the motor is operated.

A pad 40 of some absorbent material such as felt or the like for lubricant is placed upon the top of the block 22 in position to cover both the recess 30 for the roller 32 and the opening 36 for the pin 38. This pad is held in position by a resilient clip or the like 42 shaped as best shown in Figure 4 and having an opening 44 therein for the reception of a fastening bolt or the like 46 which fits into a screw-threaded opening 48 in the block 22.

The clip 42 is somewhat L-shaped, and has end pads or extensions 50 and 52 which contact the corresponding adjacent portions of the absorbent lubricating pad 40 and hold the pad firmly in desired position over the movable parts below it. Each of the extensions is provided with an integral, struck-out, downwardly extending prong or protuberance 54 which penetrates the pad to some extent, thereby preventing displacement thereof. A few drops of lubricant placed on the pad 40 at intervals will assure against undesirable friction, and the pad also keeps the construction free of dirt and dust.

It will be evident that herein is presented a distributor breaker point assembly and lubricator which has many advantages over the devices heretofore employed, in that a freely rotatable roller contacts the cam, eliminating practically all undesirable wear because the roller is almost completely embodied in the breaker block, thereby providing a great deal more surface contact between it and the roller. This larger wearing surface plus the fact that the entire unit can easily be kept fully luibricated at all times will eliminate a great deal of undesirable friction and the original setting will remain for a much longer period of time.

A new point or line of contact between the roller and cam is being continually presented, owing to obvious rotation of the roller inits-recess while in operation,

producing a current distribution of high efficiency and very light in weight and oscillation during operation is reduced to a minimum, providing exact timing and rendering the apparatus practically noiseless in operation.

We are aware that many changes. may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and we therefore do not propose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

We claim as our invention:

1. A distributor breaker point assembly including a rotor, a flexible supporting arm, an insulating block mounted on the arm, a quasicylindrical recess in the block and a roller in the recess for free rotation therein the projecting portion of the roller adapted to contact the distributor rotor, the recess embracing more than one-half of the volume of the roller, the roller being conical at its lower end for a point contact with the bottom of the recess.

2. A device as described in claim 1, wherein a pin in the distributor plate passes through an opening in the block providing oscillation of the block about the pin subject to the resiliency of the supporting arm.

3. A device as described in claim 2, wherein a current-carrying element is mounted on the block, said current-carrying element supporting one of the breaker points of the assembly.

4. A device as described in claim 3, wherein the block is pivotally mounted on a pin in the distributor plate and wherein the lubricating pad covers both the pin and the roller.

5. A device as described in claim 4, wherein a leafspring fastened in the top of the block maintains the lubricating pad in operating position.

6. A device as described in claim 1, wherein the recess also provides a lubricant reservoir.

7. A device as described in claim 5, wherein the leaf spring includes integral fastening pins penetrating the pad.

8. A device as described in claim 2, wherein the sup-- porting arm for the block is resilient, and wherein the current-carrying element on the block is non-resilient.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

